6 Energy-Efficient Interior Design Ideas
Creating an energy-efficient home utilizing interior design ideas can be a great way to reduce costs on your utility bills. If you're looking to improve your home's efficiency while improving its aesthetics, take a look at some interior design tips to reduce not only your environmental impact but also improve the overall look of your home.
Choose Colors Wisely
Believe it or not, the paint color in your home can affect your energy bill. Light colors like white, gray, and beige will reflect heat from surfaces like furniture and walls that tend to absorb it. Dark shades like red, blue, or brown will absorb heat, making your home warmer without you having to touch the thermostat. You don't have to choose one palette for your whole house, but instead, think about where natural light comes in from windows and what rooms in your home are naturally cooler than others.
Insulate with Furniture
Ideally, your home's walls will be sufficiently insulated, and its windows will be tightly sealed to avoid drafts. But all homes have imperfections in these areas, and one way to reduce the impact is to use furniture as an additional thermal barrier.
High-back and overstuffed chairs and sofas are great for this purpose, and skirted furniture can help reduce drafts at the floor level. The furniture doesn't need to be stuffed or upholstered — anything dense, like a bookcase filled with books, can serve as a significant thermal barrier when placed against an exterior wall. Hanging tapestries or quilts on the wall is another way to decorate and insulate at the same time.
Light a New Way
Many homeowners don't realize that a simple upgrade to their light bulbs can have a huge impact on energy savings. LED lights are the most energy-efficient product but can be costly to change in every room. However, they make sense in the long run, saving you 75% on energy costs in just one year compared to a traditional incandescent. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs will give you similar savings—but they will not last as long. Most LEDs last up to 25,000 hours compared to the CFL life expectancy of 10,000 hours.
Don't Forget Window Treatments
Different curtains, blinds, and window shades will affect a room's temperature. In winter months, consider thermal curtains that will thwart cold drafts, and change it up with sheer, airy drapes when warm weather comes that will let in sunshine and breezes. Traditional blinds aren't great at reducing heat loss but are efficient at keeping hot light from drenching a room. Window shades will block out light and unwanted UV rays in warmer seasons and reduce heat loss on cold nights, but not all products are the same. Check out specifically designed options that reduce energy costs, like shades with a reflective white side and a darker, heat-grabbing side that can be flipped depending on the season.
Add a Ceiling Fan
If your home has a ceiling fan, use it, and if it doesn't, purchase one. Sometimes you don't even need your A/C to run to make your house cool. Sometimes you can get the coolness you need simply by letting the wind from a ceiling fan cool you down. It's more efficient than running your A/C.
Just be sure to get a ceiling fan with a reversible setting so that when wintertime comes, you'll be able to turn your blades in the opposite direction. Then cause the fan to recirculate the warm air that's risen to the ceiling. These ceiling fans prove beneficial in living rooms and bedrooms but add a beautiful touch of class and sophistication to any room.
Consider Adding Carpet or Area Rugs
One of the most popular trends in interior design these days is hardwood or linoleum flooring. These flooring options are indeed beautiful design choices, but they can also be a bit cold. Carpet will make your home warmer by up to 10%!
If carpet installation is not in your budget or design scheme, you should at least consider adding a few area rugs in your home.
Area rugs are great additions because they, too, give your home added warmth in the colder months, and in the summer, you can easily store them in a closet until the cooler seasons arrive. Plus, rugs simply add more personality to the room, and your choice of rugs also tells a bit of your personal sense of style and what you like.
